Oregon Jesuits ordained

Two Jesuits who began their religious life in Portland are now priests. Fathers Glen Butterworth and Matthew Kunkel were ordained June 8 in Hollywood, Calif. by Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City. The Jesuits' Oregon and California provinces are sharing many functions now, including formation.

Father Butterworth, 42, was born in Bonn, Germany. He entered the Society of Jesus in Portland in 2001 and professed first vows in August 2003. He completed first studies at Fordham University in New York, earning a master’s degree in philosophical resources in 2006 and a professional certificate in conflict resolution from the teacher’s college at Columbia University. He spent the next two years at Seattle University as an assistant to the dean of students and then a year in Yakima, Wash. as a vocations recruiter. He entered theology studies at Heythrop College, University of London, United Kingdom in 2009 and completed his studies at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, Berkeley in 2013.

Prior to entering the Society of Jesus, Father Butterworth earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Frostburg State University in Maryland. Father Butterworth will be assigned to St. Joseph Parish in Seattle.

Father Kunkel, 33, was born in Bremerton, Wash. He entered the Society of Jesus in Portland in 2002 and professed first vows in 2004. His first studies were at St. Louis University where he studied philosophy, theology and studio art. He taught religion and church history at St. Andrew Nativity School in Portland. In 2009, he entered theology studies in Berkeley, earning a master of divinity degree. Before entering the Society of Jesus, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University in 2002 and graduated from Bremerton’s South Kitsap Public High School in 1998. This summer, Fr. Kunkel will be assigned to St. Xavier Parish in Missoula, Mont., and in the fall will return to Berkeley to complete a licentiate in Sacred Theology.

Fathers Butterworth and Kunkel joined ordinands from the California Jesuit Province at a Mass of Thanksgiving June 9 in the Sacred Heart Chapel on the Loyola Marymount University campus in Los Angeles.